garrio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɡar.ri.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡar.ri.o]^[1]

Forms

garriō (present infinitive garrīre, perfect active garrīvī or garriī, supine garrītum); fourth conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It may be inherited from Proto-Italic *gārje/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ǵ(e)h₂r-ie/o- (“to shout”), with ⟨rr⟩ for an older single /r/ after a long vowel.^[2] De Vaan compares Old Irish gairid (“calls”), Old Irish gáir (“shout”) and Ancient Greek γῆρυς (gêrus, “voice”), but notes that the forms may be independent imitative creations.^[2][1] The Oxford Latin Dictionary calls it imitative.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it, together with garrulus “talkative”.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It was to chatter, prattle, talk nonsense, as in Terence, and Cicero uses it of his own chatty letters, writing whatever came to his lips.^[3][5] It was used of birds twittering, of frogs croaking and of musical instruments.^[3][6] Döderlein says it refers to excessive fondness for talking.^[7]

In medieval Latin it was used of birds singing, frogs croaking and people or the devil shouting.^[8] It survives as Italian garrire.^[1] English garrulous comes from garrulus.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of talking nonsense.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of chatting in letters.^[3][4]
• 1610s – English garrulous is recorded, from garrulus.^[9]

Meanings

Verb

1. To chatter, prattle, jabber.^[3][5]
2. To talk nonsense.^[3]
3. Of birds, frogs or instruments, to twitter, croak, sound.^[3][6]
4. To say (something) in a prattle.^[1]

Word family

• congarriō
• garrītus
• garrulus
• intergarriō
• garrulāns

Related words

• garrulitās
• grāculus
• grundiō
• grūs
• English garrulous

Usage notes

Döderlein contrasts it with fābulor, talk about trifles, and blaterō, foolish talk.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
8. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com